Ellicott City, Maryland - Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - Link to Online Story

The leafy green hills west of Baltimore are home to First Lutheran, one of the area’s oldest and beloved churches. Established in 1874, the church has grown steadily over the years, moving to its current site in the mid-1950s. The campus is home to several buildings, including the Ellicott City Children’s House, Montessori School, and the current sanctuary, dedicated in 1996.

The octagonally-shaped sanctuary is as beautiful as it is acoustically challenging. Designed to feature the church’s exquisite pipe organ and choir, the building’s wood and glass ceiling, brick walls and rock and tile floor create a reflective environment that wreaks havoc with spoken word intelligibility. As Senior Pastor Eugene Kern explains, the issue was one that was initially not easy to discern.
“Since my arrival to First Lutheran in early 2009, there were complaints passed on to me about the sound system,” says Kern. “It took some time to interpret the specifics behind generalized statements like ‘I can’t hear,’ but we eventually determined that we did, indeed, have a number of ‘dead’ zones in the sanctuary where the quality of the sound was reduced. To make matters even more confusing, we also determined that we had a number of volunteers attempting to remedy the situation by making adjustments to the mixing console – with an astounding variety of results.”
Once the problems were identified, the church turned to Frederick, MD-based Audio-Video Group, who designed and installed a system based around Community Professional Loudspeakers’ Solutions Series SLS920 three-way high performance loudspeakers. A ring of eight SLS920 cabinets flown over the stage provides consistent, even coverage to the entire sanctuary.
“The system covers every seat, with no dead zones,” says Kern. “The sound is clear, and volume is controlled electronically. Intelligibility is vastly improved, and we are able to expand our inputs to two, three, six or even seven microphones just by turning a knob. The automation is an unexpected plus – we come in on Sunday morning, turn on the system, and we’re ready to go. We no longer have to rely on volunteers to turn knobs and adjust levels.”
As is often the case, aesthetics also played a key role in the system design. “When this sanctuary was completed in the mid-1990s, it won awards for its design – it really is a special place,” says Kern. “The original sound system, which I’m told was state-of-the-art for its time, was designed to make the loudspeakers look like light fixtures. In fact, visitors sometimes commented on how many lights were out in the sanctuary. But while it was interesting from a visual perspective, it wasn’t very effective, and AVG’s engineers made it clear that the best solution was a radically different approach, with a ring of speakers projecting out toward the pews. The new system sounds great, and you can hear clearly from every seat.”
Kern gives high marks to the AVG crew as well. “Eric Johnson and his team were a great fit for us,” he says. “They understand church – what goes on here, and what the needs are across multiple generations. They really listened to us, and took the time to get to the root of the issues affecting us. They offered us the best solution, and stood behind it with integrity, competence and professionalism.”

Contact Information:

Audio-Video Group
http://www.audiovideogroup.com
Jim Farber
301-668-4448
jimf@audiovideogroup.com

Frederick, MD - Friday, December 23, 2011 - BBB has determined that Audio-Video Group, LLC meets BBB accreditation standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints.  Audio-Video Group has been assigned an A+ rating.

BBB rating is based on 16 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.

Factors that raised Audio-Video Group, LLC's rating include:

• Length of time business has been operating.
• No complaints filed with BBB.
• BBB has sufficient background information on this business.

Contact Information:

Audio-Video Group, LLC
http://www.audiovideogroup.com
Jim Farber
301-668-4448
jimf@audiovideogroup.com

Monday, March 28, 2011 -  
Stephen Bon has recently relocated from Florida and has joined Audio-Video Group as a Sales Engineer. He is a design expert for audiovisual solutions for both Houses of Worship as well as commercial markets. Stephen comes to AVG with over 10 years of experience in designing, installing and commissioning systems; some of his most significant projects were for clients such as Walt Disney World, The Gateway Church and the Church of Scientology. Stephen is an InfoComm Certified Technology Specialist of Installation (CTS-I), an ANSI acredited designation which he has held this since 2006. He has earned and holds numerous manufacturers and industry certifications including: ICIA, Syn-Aud-Con, QSC, BSS, Crestron and Tandberg to mention a few. We are pleased to welcome Stephen to our team and are confident that he will add both quality and value to our customer's projects.

Friday, March 11, 2011 - For the 8th year in a row Audio-Video Group will be providing the sound systems and mixing for Frederick's Alive at Five concert series which now features thirteen shows. The Downtown Frederick Partnership has arranged to bring a variety of artists to perform in the Carrol Creek Amphitheatre on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Thursdays of the Month from May through September 8th starting at 5pm. Audio-Video Group is proud join with other leading local businesses to sponsor of these events. Come out and enjoy!
 
2011 Schedule:
 
May 12- Huckleberry
 
May 19 - Ted Garber
 
May 26 - Hard Swimmin' Fish
 
June 9 - Paul Pfau + The Dimestore Band
 
June 16 - Special Delivery
 
June 23 - Sticktime
 
July 14 - Bad Influence
 
July 21 - Billy Coulter Band
 
July 28 - Dis-Funk-Shun
 
August 11 - Justin Kalk Orchestra
 
August 25 - The Freddie Long Band
 
September 8 - Mark DeRose

Saturday, March 20, 2010 -  
Frederick's own audiovisual systems integrator continues to expand its reach and technological offerings.
 
Frederick, MD, March 16, 2010: Since opening for business in 2000, Audio-Video Group has evolved from a small, home-based operation to a fully staffed entity that offers a comprehensive listing of products and services to its growing customer base.
 
"We started out 10 years ago with a tiny budget and have steadily grown into a business far exceeding anyone's expectations," said Eric Johnson, Audio-Video Group's founder and president. "We are all very proud of this accomplishment and grateful to our customers and employees who helped get us here."
 
The initial projects involved the installation of sound and video systems for the House of Worship market, and, with the addition of dedicated engineering and project management assets, has expanded the company's capabilities and customer list. Now, AVG serves the corporate, educational, hospitality and government industries as well as their forte, Houses of Worship. Product solutions range from simple projector and screen installations for a conference or class room, to full complete integrated systems incorporating sound and video throughout an entire facility.
 
"The key to our success is our focus on the customer's needs," says Johnson, "we design and install systems that not only meet or exceed the technological goal, but are also relatively
simple for the end user to operate and control."
 
A satellite office was established in Northern Virginia in 2006 to better serve that market, but the company has no plans to relocate - they consider Frederick their home.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 -  
Audio-Video Group is very pleased to add a new member to our team. Joe Stone will be filling the role of Project Manager, operating out of our Frederick, MD location. Joe comes to us with over 35 years experience in live sound reinforcement, including the last ten in operations and project management. He has a lifelong passion for electronics and audio
and has been "the sound guy" for the very successful local band, "Nightlife," for the last 15 years. Prior to that, he had 15 years in commercial construction as a foreman in Ironworkers Local 5.
 
AVG is confident that Joe offers the right combination of experience and enthusiasm for this key position at this time of growth in 2010. Both the company and its customers will benefit from improved communications and more efficient project flow.

Frederick, Maryland - Friday, April 11, 2008 -  
SOUND INVESTMENT
High-tech upgrades for churches boosting audio-video business
Originally published April 22, 2008
 
By Ike Wilson
News-Post Staff
 
Jerry Ferson did not see a hymn book in the six and a half years he worked as media director at Maranatha Community Church of God in Christ. And gone are the days when a church service included only an organ, a piano or both.
 
Many local churches have upgraded to the latest high-tech audio-visual productions,  eliminating hymnals in the process and becoming renowned for their theatrical productions for Easter and Christmas.
 
The trend is boosting business for audio-video companies.
 
There's been an explosion over the last few years of churches investing in their audio-video capabilities, said Eric Johnson, founder and president of Audio-Video Group in Frederick.
 
"People, especially young people, want something catchy," Johnson said. "Churches are driven to offer something that entertains. People want to get the same level of energy they get in other parts of their lives."
 
Two of the most vital ingredients in worship are sound and song, the Rev. Jack Hartman, a
United Methodist Church superintendent, said in 2005 Frederick News-Post report.
 
"It doesn't make any difference how good the music, the prayers or the preaching if one cannot hear clearly because the sound does not have quality," the Rev. Hartman said.  "Likewise it doesn't make any difference how good the sound, if the music is not quality. The combination of the two, if done well, can inspire and stimulate. The combination of the two if either is done poorly will be disheartening and boring."
 
The need for high-tech audio-video systems is due in part to people coming back to church, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the country, Johnson said.
 
"Churches have been seeing a resurgence in their membership, and these are people who are coming from non-church backgrounds who want to be ministered to in a way that relates to them, not to mention the evolution of people and their need for something new," Johnson said.
 
Done properly, an audio-video system should add to the worship experience, not detract from it, Johnson said.
 
When the Frederick Church of The Brethren needed a comprehensive audio-video system, church officials weren't sure that a local firm could handle the scope of their demands, the Rev. Paul Mundey, senior pastor, wrote in a letter about the project.
 
Audio-Video Group installed the church's system, leaving some happy campers.
 
"Our project was rather comprehensive, involving sound reinforcement, video displays and a variety of specialty lighting arrangements," the Rev. Mundey said. "It was complex, utilizing the latest in both design and technology."
 
But in turning to Audio-Video Group, Church of The Brethren was not disappointed, the Rev. Mundey said.
 
"We could not be more pleased with our product," the Rev. Mundey said.
 
Johnson's company showed "top-flight professionalism and sensitive understanding of the unique culture of the church ... and lifted a major burden as we sought to implement this  complex project," the Rev. Mundey said.
 
Not all equipment created equal.
 
Audio/video systems vary in size and capabilities, Ferson said.
 
"You have a choice in equipment between a Cadillac and a Dodge." He said there's a big difference between an overhead projector you can get from Staples or Home Depot for $800-$900 and the $35,000 Sony equipment at Maranatha. And similar equipment can run as high as $150,000, Ferson said.
 
"The difference is the distance it can throw an image and the amount of light it can take," he said.
 
Maranatha's state-of-the-art audio/video and lighting suite cost approximately $370,000. The church also has a digital marquee used to publicize events and offer encouraging words to live by. Maranatha may be the first church in Frederick to use a digital marquee, Ferson said.
 
"Anyone who comes into the audio/video section is overwhelmed" by what they see, Ferson said.
 
Ferson was a part of the team that decided on the audio/video suite for the church when the $4.7 million edifice was in its planning stages. The Crest Audio X-8 -- a 40 channel sound mixer board with volume controls -- was one of his favorite pieces of equipment, Ferson said.
 
The mixer allows 40 different inputs from microphones and four in-lines for compact disc or digital video disc. The matrix board itself sends audio through the equalizer and from the equalizer to the amplifiers and from the amps to the speakers.
 
Photo Caption and Credit:
Photo by courtesyPhoto
This integrated audio-video system installed by Audio-Video Group of Frederick, in the Frederick Church of the Brethren, helps the church bring "greater voice and vision to its communion," the Rev. Paul Mundey said.
 
Read the article posted in the Frederick News Post by clicking here.

Saturday, March 1, 2008 -  
Eric Johnson, founder and president of Audio-Video Group in Frederick, is now a Certified Technology Specialist of Design (CTS-D). A CTS-D earns this specialized certification by demonstrating detailed knowledge of how to analyze, select, and plan seamless audiovisual communications equipment interoperation. The CTS-D demonstrates his or her experience
in the form of complete specifications and drawings that deliver a desired outcome to meet a client's needs. To achieve the CTS-D credential, Johnson passed a rigorous two-day exam including written, oral, and intensive practical sections and agreed to a Code of Ethics  pledging truth, accuracy, and a commitment to excellence in all aspects of his profession. There are just over three-hundred CTS-D accredited professionals in the world according to InfoComm International.
 
Johnson founded Audio-Video Group in 2000 to deliver top-quality integrated system design, installation, and service for sound and video equipment. The company maintains a strong client base among houses of worship and also serves educational, government, corporate, medical, and industrial facilities; retail and dining establishments; funeral homes; and sporting facilities in Frederick County and throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. For more information, call 301-668-4448. The company is located at Riverside Technology Park, 8415 Progress Drive, Suite G in Frederick,
just one mile south of Route 26 off Monocacy Boulevard.

Sunday, June 11, 2006 -  
The President and Owner of Audio-Video Group had some sound advice to say to any business owner. Read the article posted in the Frederick News Post by clicking here.